C.J. Wilson hasn’t quite been Cliff Lee automatic in August and September, but he hasn’t been far off. Wilson shut down the A’s Sunday as the Rangers won the series with an 8-1 win. Wilson was excellent again, lasting eight innings and allowing no runs on five hits while striking out 11 and walking one. With the performance Wilson collected his 16th win of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.01.
The Rangers offense did plenty of damage for him, led by Adrian Beltre’s 300th and 301st career home runs (and four hits in total) along with Ian Kinsler’s and Craig Gentry’s three hits apiece. Mike Napoli reached all five times, singling, doubling and walking three times.
Wilson struggled two weeks ago against the Angels but has otherwise been superb down the stretch, winning six of his last seven starts and allowing more than two earned runs just that one time since July.
Texas also picked up the game they lost on the Angels on Saturday thanks to a comeback 6-5 Yankees win in Anaheim. The Yankees got to Ervin Santana for six runs (five earned) in six innings while erasing a 5-2 deficit. LA heads to Oakland now, while Texas will host Cleveland in Arlington.